10/04/2026
Many of the Department for Education posts currently focus on school-based nursery expansion. This is one option, but parents should be aware there are several high-quality early years choices available.
Some things families may wish to consider:
• The 15 and 30 hour entitlements are typically funded for 38 weeks per year, though many settings can stretch this across the year. (That is 570 or 1140 hours funded per year)
• The funding is paid for through taxes and does not usually cover the full cost of childcare delivery. It is intended to cover education. It doesn’t cover the cost of food, nappies, wipes, trips, special services like football classes and forest school. Many private settings offer additional experiences and items which may involve optional contributions.
• School-based nurseries often operate during school-style hours, whereas private nurseries, childminders and nannies can offer more flexibility for working families and consider travel time.
• Ratios differ between settings. Childminders typically work at 1:3 for under-5s, while nurseries may operate at larger group sizes depending on age with some setting working at a 1:13 ratio for 3 and 4 year olds.
• Childminders and some nurseries allow siblings of different ages to engage and play together all day, older children being great role models for the younger children-no segregation by age.
• Different settings offer different experiences. Some are more structured, others more home-based or community focused. Some school-based settings may be more site-based, whereas many childminders and private nurseries regularly access community learning opportunities like: ponds, parks, shops, cafe’s, soft play, sensory gardens, zoos, farms, aquariums, residential homes, garden centres, visiting train stations, museums, woodlands, recycling centres, forest schools, local vegetable patches, beaches. So consider your families ethos when looking for a setting.
• The majority of early years providers — including private nurseries and childminders — are graded good or outstanding by Ofsted.
• School-based nurseries are inspected as part of whole-school inspections, whereas private early years settings are inspected solely on early years provision.
• Childminders are able to be registered with Ofsted or an agency. The agencies provide annual quality assurance visits and an abundance of support at a higher registration cost to the childminder.
School nurseries are a valuable option and not in competition with the private sector. Childminders, private nurseries and school nurseries all play an important role in supporting families. We all work in partnership with one another when a parent chooses to use more than one setting for their child. The best choice depends on your child, your working pattern and your family’s preferences.
